this post was submitted on 08 May 2024
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Linux
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I would not recommend Arch for beginners. I like it, but it's best for someone a bit familiar with Linux already. Yeah, the install is pretty simple now that Archinstall is a thing, but it's not the method recommended in the Arch Wiki and if there's something wrong with your install and you complain on the Arch Forum they might not be super helpful.
More generally, the mood on the Arch forum and Arch communities at large isn't super beginner friendly, and thay's understandable: In a distro meant to be user friendly and aimed at general user, if the user does what seems natural to them and the system break, the community will feel a responsibility towards them, because the system wasn't stable and user-friendly enough. In a distro primarily aimed at power users and devs, if the user does what seems natural to them and the system breaks, then the user is a fool and should've read the wiki.
Because it is a very fast rolling release, some updates can break stuff. It doesn't happen often, but it can happen at a bad time and be a big problem for someone who doesn't know how to deal with it.
Debian is more stable, and easier if you go with a D.E, but you still have to make several choices during the install, which might be a bit complicated for a beginner who doesn't know what any of these options mean... Tho of course, it's possible to go with all the defaults and it'll be alright.
But my prime recommendation would be Linux Mint.
I will not debate your thoughts on Arch though I personally have more problems on other distros. What I will say is that the EndeavourOS forums are pretty friendly. EOS is Arch for non-elitists.
I agree, they are friendly, but, oh man, EOS forums are a help vampire's paradise, an ocean of beginners with a couple of knowledgeable NPCs. Constant useless noise and back-and-forth everywhere.
EOS is "for intermediate users, and terminal first distro" paraphrasing here, but that's how they describe themselves, and they are a bit dishonest about it IMO. It's "just" Arch+Calamares+forked Artix scripts posing as apps (which are buggy as hell btw).
Generally speaking, I have nothing to really argue against that..but I can only recommend based on how I have learned Linux. I have found myself only enjoying the base distros and not forks because no matter all the time I wasted distro hopping, I felt like I was using the same thing over and over again beyond the package manager or installer.
One thing I would add is, when I used Arch, I avoided the Arch forums...specifically because of what you mentioned. In one way, one should expect that of the Arch forums. If you choose to use a distro that forces you to build the system yourself, you should expect to fix your problems yourself. So the forums I found useless and never posted there. The fact there is even an Arch forum that offers supports, beyond the wiki, I find funny. I would just use the wiki and search engines.